World governing body Fifa has been forced to apologise over a meeting between officials and the Union of European Clubs (UEC) last week.
UEC has been set up as an alternative to the powerful and influential European Clubs’ Association (ECA), which has been working in partnership with Uefa over major issues in the game, including the transfer system.
Fifa needs to maintain a close relationship with ECA at a period when there is huge pressure on the fixture calendar and 12 European clubs are involved in the expanded Club World Cup at the end of next season.
Of the 12 clubs, the only ones who are not members of ECA are Real Madrid and Juventus, who resigned in the wake of the Super League war and have not yet applied to return.
Fifa said it ‘regrets and rejects’ any indication the meeting with UEC was anything other than to address general questions around its Clearing House transfer system.
“Fifa would like to take this opportunity to state for the record it recognises only one representative body for club football in Europe, the European Clubs’ Association.”
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